What does Easter mean?

Easter or Resurrection Sunday is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ from the dead. Even before theologians explained the death of Jesus in terms of various atonement theories, the early church saw his resurrection as the central witness to a new act of God in history and the victory of God in vindicating Jesus as the Messiah. This event marks the central faith confession of the early church and was the focal point for Christian worship, observed on the first day of each week since the first century (Acts 20:7; Sunday was officially proclaimed the day of Christian worship in AD 321). Easter as an annual celebration of the Resurrection that lies at the center of a liturgical year has been observed at least since the fourth century. Even in churches that traditionally do not observe the other historic seasons of the church year, Easter has occupied a central place as the high point of Christian worship.

Though many might not be aware, Easter is one day in a series of days that are observed in connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus, culminating with the descention of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The days observed are:

• Palm Sunday - The day Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly
• Ash Wednesday - Rooted in the ancient tradition of covering one's head with ashes, wearing sackcloth and fasting.
• Lent - The 40 days before Easter beginning on Ash Wednesday, it is a time for prayer, fasting and penitence, though not many fast the entire 40 days like Jesus did.
• Maudy Thursday - The day of the Last Supper and the night of Jesus' betrayal by Judas
• Good Friday - Jesus' death on the cross
• Easter Sunday - Jesus' resurrection from the dead
• Ascension Day - Celebrated 40 days after Easter, it marks Jesus' ascension into Heaven
• Pentecost - The seventh Sunday after Easter, it is the day the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus' followers in the Upper Room as they were celebrating the Jewish harvest festival called Shavuot

Easter is when jesus wake s up